SILHILL 4-1 AFC BALSALL: THE INDEPENDENT REPORT + SCREENSHOTS WITH CAPTIONS...

 Balsall Response Scuppered By Sarmenio…

Silhill 4-1 AFC Balsall…

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

There was a good welcome from Silhill, whose officials waived my entrance fee because I was providing match coverage and despite the ground being close to where I live, this was my first ever visit to the ground.

Dry, pale grass sprouted from a sun-baked surface, which would make receiving a pass awkward due to a bobbling ball  but in fairness both teams gave that aspect of the game a go. Certainly home skipper Lewis Williams sprayed some decent passes about throughout the encounter, often clipping them towards the right flank. 

Balsall’s initial play seemed tentative, although skipper John Palmer was acting very much as a verbal coach from his defensive position, but in truth it was his Silhill namesake Michael Palmer whose voice was heard loudest on the pitch. With Viking beard and the impatience of a parade ground sergeant, his hubbub must have reverberated all along Sharman’s Cross Road and likely as far as the Stratford Road too… It was memorable and extremely entertaining…

Two first period goals seemed enough for the hosts as half-time approached but certainly the AFC forwards, Leon Edmond and Ousman Kolley had often caused problems with their pace and application. 

Balsall began the second period well enough and scored a valuable goal but subsequently a good chance missed and home winger Josh Sarmenio’s second and third goals, killed off the tie. 

Visiting skipper John Palmer had been cautioned late in the affair for the latest of several rather audible complaints made to the referee but then he conceded a penalty and the second yellow card he received was followed by one of the red kind…

The first-half, interrupted by a succession of free-kicks…  

An early header by home battler Andy Fraher was headed away from his goal-line by the hardworking AFC left-back George Thunder, before long-throwing forward Dane Reed poked a right footer past the left upright. 

THUNDER CLEARS FROM FRAHER'S HEADER...

Home ‘keeper Josh Tindale saved a well struck 19 yard drive by busy and effective AFC forward Jamie Eden but the guests were soon undone.

TINDALE WOULD SAVE EDEN'S EFFORT...

The two goals arrived fairly close together and the first was netted by Fraher whose second headed attempt of the day, soaring over the shoulders of Balsall’s Tommy Black like he had lost his bearings playing leap-frog with his opponent, dropped past goalkeeper Jamie Smith and into the bottom right corner of the net. Williams’ set-piece delivery had been really accurate…

THE FLYING FRAHER CONNECTS WITH A HEADER...

...& IT'S 1-0...

Goal two stemmed from a poked pass through inside-left by the vociferous Michael Palmer and Sarmenio did the rest, bearing down on goal past defender Sam Bristow from the left flank and shoving a left-footer across Smith and into the far side of the net.

SARMENIO SHOOTS FROM AN ANGLE...

...& IT'S 2-0...

It remained only for the AFC 7, more than likely Ashton Lance-Pencheon (although of course I named him Kolley on the video clip- not really my fault…) to shoot wide after positioning himself well enough and unusually getting the better of the influential home defender Marcus Blake.

The half had been badly interrupted by a succession of free-kicks and that trend would continue after the recess…

The second period…

A goal back and a crucial miss by AFC might have led to a very different outcome for this match. First, a smart pass through inside-right by Kolley fed the dangerous Edmond who cut inside the covering and sliding Williams to fire a shot off home goalie Josh Tindale’s left glove and into the bottom right corner of the goal-net from 11 yards.

EDMOND'S SHOT...

...GOES IN OFF TINDALE'S LEFT GLOVE FOR 2-1...

Then, John Palmer’s free-kick from downtown looped over everyone except Bristow but as the ball dropped onto the AFC defender’s right boot, just 6 yards out, his volley flew over the target.

BRISTOW VOLLEYS TOO HIGH...

That really was it offensively for the visitors despite two or three threats typically caused by Edmond, Kolley and certainly the replacement Jayden Bird.

EDMOND'S HEADER GOES STRAIGHT TO TINDALE...

Reaffirming themselves, Silhill scored again when Thunder’s back-pass to Smith was intercepted by Sarmenio at inside-right and he drew the goalie, before appearing to pass the ball square to supporting substitute Dom Liburd but with a clever step-over he then veered right to tuck the ball into the empty net from an angle himself.

SARMENIO TRICKS SMITH...

...& SCORES FOR 3-1...

Soon, replacement Harry Supperstone threatened on the right side of the 18 yard box, John Palmer’s challenge saw the forward fall and the referee awarded Silhill a penalty, which Sarmenio took to try and complete his hat-trick. He did so with a low shot into the left corner of goal, as Smith ventured in the other other direction.

SUPPERSTONE GOES DOWN FROM PALMER'S CHALLENGE... 

SARMENIO TAKES THE SPOT-KICK...

...& SCORES FOR 4-1...

A hard Liburd effort was turned aside by the diving Smith but apart from a few penalty-box sorties, neither team could score again, with both goalminders looking proficient.

LIBURD'S DRIVE...

...IS WELL SAVED BY SMITH...

The final words…

This was a very competitive match both physically and verbally but as it wore on, the passing was often very decent, despite the uneven, hard surface. 

Kozi Muanza was prominent for the hosts, along with Blake, whilst Kian Davies and Owen Fackrell were steady in defence. Fraher took his goal well and was combative, Michael Palmer was very committed and I can still hear him bellowing, nearly 24 hours later…

PALMER HAS CAUGHT EDEN'S BOOT...

Caddle was often neat and creative in possession, Sarmenio was a tough opponent to contain but Williams pulled the strings for his team with little fanfare.

All of the guests fought so hard. The Cranage brothers, Ben at 8 and Ryan from the bench, were industrious, Thunder, perhaps not lightning fast like Tyreek Hill, the Miami Dolphins’ wide-receiver (just being silly, now…) played well but would rue his attempted back-pass which gifted Sarmenio goal three and Eden showed up well in midfield on several occasions.

TYPICAL CATCH BY THE COMPETENT TINDALE...

Edmond and Kolley looked dangerous too but in the end, it was Sarmenio’s finishing which really put the tie out of Balsall’s reach…